***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
Contact:
Alex Dery Snider
aderysnider@empirejustice.org
202.641.5124
Audrey Martin
amartin@legal-aid.org
New Law Removes Barrier to Justice
Legal Aid Organizations Celebrate Governor Kathy Hochul Signing Legislation to Remove Notarization with Affirmations of Truth in Most Administrative and Court Filings
Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill (S. 9032A Ryan/A. 9478A McMahon) that immediately allows litigants to use affirmations of truth instead of notarized affidavits in most administrative and court proceedings. The New York Legal Services Coalition led an effort to ensure that Verifications, which are commonly required for petitions in a wide range of the most common civil legal actions such as custody petitions, name change petitions, and more, will no longer require notarization and instead will only require an affirmation of truth under penalty of perjury.
Sal Curran, Executive Director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. and Co-Chair of the Legislative Steering Committee of the New York Legal Services Coalition said:
“With this change, New York Civil Procedure comes into alignment with Federal Court Procedure in recognizing that a statement made under penalty of perjury should have equal force, whether signed in front of a notary or not. The New York Legal Services Coalition member organizations represent low-income New Yorkers throughout the State, and in many areas clients have to travel long distances to meet with their lawyers. During the time of the COVID pandemic shutdowns, Legal Aid organizations developed practices that have allowed us to provide assistance to many of these clients remotely, but the notarization requirement on verified petitions and affidavits was a significant barrier for many of our clients who lacked transportation and had no money to pay a notary. With this new law, we have removed an unnecessary barrier to access to justice for all.”
Judith Goldiner, Attorney-in-Charge of the Civil Law Reform Unit at the Legal Aid Society and member of the NYLSC Legislative Steering committee said:
“These redundant administrative requirements only prolong the time individuals spend entangled in the legal system, disrupting their daily lives and imposing additional costs that disproportionately affect low-income individuals. This will assist low-income New Yorkers who need to bring actions against their landlords for repairs, LGBTQ+ New Yorkers who need to change their names and New Yorkers who need to challenge arbitrary and capricious government action. The Legal Aid Society thanks Governor Hochul for signing this legislation into law and commends Senator Sean Ryan and Assembly Member Karen McMahon for their sponsorship.”
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About the New York Legal Services Coalition
The New York Legal Services Coalition is a statewide association that represents the interests of civil legal services organizations and the communities they serve. Our members collectively provide services in the areas of family law, housing, immigration, and public benefits across all 62 counties of New York State.
About the Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society exists for one simple yet powerful reason: to ensure that New Yorkers are not denied their right to equal justice because of poverty. For over 145 years, we have protected, defended, and advocated for those who have struggled in silence for far too long. Every day, in every borough, The Legal Aid Society changes the lives of our clients and helps improve our communities. www.legalaidnyc.org
About the Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc.
The Volunteer Lawyers Project of CNY, Inc. provides access to justice through engaging the legal community in volunteer service to those in need. VLPCNY is united in our belief that everyone deserves access to justice. We work with and for those we serve by providing legal aid, education and advocating for policy changes that better the lives of our community.